For organisations of all sizes and in every industry, control of costs is a key priority. This is especially true in educational environments, where careful management of both capital expenditure and ongoing running costs lie at the very heart of an institution’s financial viability. In one such environment – the University of York’s Department of Biology – the installation of a Priorclave 450 litre autoclave for laboratory sterilisation has brought tremendous cost savings.
York University’s Department of Biology is renowned as a state-of-the-art, world class centre for both teaching and research. With ongoing research into such diverse subjects as immunology and tissue engineering, environmental studies, molecular genetics and imaging technologies, the department’s laboratory area is designated as a Containment Level 1 area. As such, effective steam sterilisation of laboratory equipment (and waste prior to disposal) is an absolute must.
Recently installed in the department’s plant research laboratory, the Priorclave product’s reasonable purchase price represents only part of the overall savings. With an emphasis on efficiency and environmental awareness, Priorclave offers a range of features that measurably reduce the energy costs of laboratory sterilisation and that, in this case, provided a massive 90 per cent reduction in water usage.
Since the Priorclave SH450 was installed at the York University laboratory, analysis of running costs in comparison with another autoclave unit has shown overall savings of almost 56 per cent. A large portion of the savings were associated with water supply and disposal costs, with respective cost reductions of 88 per cent and 89 per cent.
The lab’s previous autoclave had a smaller capacity (350 litres) but was larger, and also operated off a separate 45 kilowatt generator that had to run constantly to provide the necessary steam levels for laboratory sterilisation. Now that his has been replaced by the Priorclave product, it has not only freed extra space in the laboratory, but removed the requirement for the separate generator, freeing up another room in the process!
Priorclave’s SH450 model is floor-standing and operates from an inbuilt generator that heats water on demand, significantly reducing costs. This, combined with the unit’s other energy-efficient features are estimated to be saving the university £7.58 per use … and that adds up to a total cost saving in the order of around £6,000.00 per year.
The SH450 is just one model in Priorclave’s extensive range of autoclaves that are ideal for a variety of laboratory sterilisation applications. From small 40-litre benchtop models, to free-standing front-loading units with chamber capacities up to 700 litres, there’s sure to be a model to meet your needs. But even if there isn’t, Priorclave can also design and build bespoke autoclaves to match your organisation’s unique requirements.